San Clemente, CA Trash & Recycling: Pickup Rules & Schedules (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential collection ban
- 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Commercial/other zone ban
- 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Earliest curb set-out
- 5:00 p.m. day before pickup
- Cart removal deadline
- within 24 hours after pickup
- Hardship exemption threshold
- cost over $1,000
Summary
San Clemente bans solid waste collection in residential zones between 7:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., and in commercial or other zones between 7:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. Containers can go to the curb no earlier than 5:00 p.m. the day before pickup and must be pulled back within 24 hours after collection.
It shall be unlawful to provide solid waste handling services in areas of the City zoned for residential use between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. It shall be unlawful to provide solid waste handling services in areas of the City zoned for other than residential use between the hours of 7:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Traffic: Supplement 30 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 66 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
m. of the day before collection. Within 24 hours after collection, containers and any uncollected waste must be removed and stored on the property so they are "substantially hidden," meaning placed behind a permanent wall, fence, or similar structure at least as tall as the container. 041 lets a customer or property owner who cannot reasonably meet the post-collection storage rule ask the Utilities Director for an exemption, which may be granted where the property's physical layout or topography makes compliance impossible, or where compliance would cost more than $1,000.
Violations & Fines
The City may address a first violation of Sections 8.28.020 through 8.28.052 with a warning sticker on the container or a mailed notice to the property owner, or it may skip the warning and prosecute directly. Every violation results in a citation to the customer, property owner, tenant, or occupant, with fines of $50 for a first violation, $75 for a second, and $100 for a third or subsequent violation under Section 8.28.210(C).
Frequently Asked Questions
What time can trash trucks start collecting in San Clemente neighborhoods?
When can I put my bins out and when must I bring them in?
Can I get out of the container-storage rule if my property can't accommodate it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in San Clemente
California rules heatmap·Compare San Clemente to another location·View the California trash & recycling overview
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